Friday, June 13, 2014

Last week I tried out some new watercolor pencils in the courtyard of Yeni Cami. I love the softness that comes with this material, especially on a humid summer day. Though the softness was working, I felt as though the drawing was lacking intensity, and needed something to pull it all together. In the end I used a black brush pen to push the darks in the foreground pillars, and a light blue wash for the sky.

When I am at a loss of where to draw, I know I can always be satisfied in Yeni Cami. Perhaps it is the female influence, the multi domed structure, or the stunning calligraphy tiles lining the courtyard....it is peace amidst the immense chaos of Eminonu.

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

I go every Monday morning very early (05:30) to Ankara from Istanbul departing usually from the Harem Bus Station. As the duration of the days prolonged at this time of the year, the view of the Harem Hotel and the view behind became much more visible and pleasant with the early light of the day. Behind the hotel there is one of the towers of the Selimiye Barrack and minaret of the Defterdar Efendi Mosque.

This sketch of Narmanli Yurdu is 5 years old already. I have found it today as I was browsing through my drawing notebooks. I remember myself climbing the stairs of what used to be the Four Seasons Restaurant of my college years, sitting at the balcony and drawing this sketch... The studios of many turkish artists, novelists and poets such as Bedri Rahmi Eyuboglu, Ahmet Hamdi Tanpinar and Aliye Berger used to be within this building.

Urban Sketchers Istanbul is part of the Urban Sketchers network, a group of artists around the world who draw the cities where they live, and the places they travel to. Visit our main blog here.

USk Manifesto

1. We draw on location, indoors or out, capturing what we see from direct observation. 2. Our drawings tell the story of our surroundings, the places we live and where we travel. 3. Our drawings are a record of time and place. 4. We are truthful to the scenes we witness. 5. We use any kind of media and cherish our individual styles. 6. We support each other and draw together. 7. We share our drawings online. 8. We show the world, one drawing at a time.